Chapter 261

The White Robe Sword Marquis is indeed worthy of his reputation...

Merely by his voice, he caused even these Star Wheel True Persons to tremble, revealing the depth of his cultivation base.

At that moment, Jiang Hong slowly turned around, facing Zhao Hu and the others, and said softly: "Come in."

Zhao Hu and Zhang Cang did not move.

They exchanged a silent glance.

Because each had their own mission, neither wished to reveal it to the other.

Three breaths of silence passed.

Finally, Zhang Cang spoke first: "Commander Zhao carries a mission from the Prefect—there can be no delay. You go in first."

Zhao Hu had no patience for courtesy; he snorted coldly and walked straight into the ancestral hall.

Soon, only Jiang Hong, Zhang Cang, and Xu Gu remained where they stood.

Zhang Cang closed his eyes to meditate, able to remain calm.

Xu Gu's face was tight, visibly at a loss.

He glanced around nervously, his mind entirely on nothing but the scenery—he felt this place was scorching hot under his feet!

Especially when he thought of how soon he would meet that Jiang Clan Chief—if not for Zhang Cang watching him, he would have fled immediately!

On the other side.

After Zhao Hu entered the ancestral hall.

The hall doors closed automatically, emitting a heavy sound.

He lifted his head and gazed ahead.

He stared at the white-robed back seated upon a meditation mat not far away.

Just one glance made Zhao Hu's pupils contract and his spirit tremble violently!

Like facing a heavenly abyss, an overwhelming pressure so intense it choked him made his legs grow weak.

At that moment, for some reason, he felt the presence of this White Robe Sword Marquis was even stronger than that of the Prefect himself!

But how could that be?

The Prefect was a Moon Wheel Realm ninth-layer peak expert, just one step away from the Sun Wheel Realm!

How could he possibly be compared to this sudden newcomer, Jiang Daoxuan?

Amidst his inner turmoil.

Jiang Daoxuan, with his back to Zhao Hu, said casually:

"Speak. What did Sima Nan send you here for?"

At the sound of his voice.

Realizing this man was on the same level as the Prefect, Zhao Hu instantly became much more obedient, bowing deeply and clasping his hands: "Hearing of the Jiang Clan Chief's name, the Prefect specially dispatched me to deliver a grand gift, to congratulate the Cangwu Jiang Clan on gaining fame throughout Tiandou Prefecture and ascending to the ranks of the top-tier clans. He also instructed me to tell you: please keep your recent activities quieter..."

Jiang Daoxuan said softly: "I am already aware of this matter. Yet my Jiang Clan favors peace and dislikes slaughter, for it harms the harmony of heaven and earth. As the saying goes: if others do not offend me, I will not offend them. Peace is best. All these actions of mine are forced upon me..."

"Now, I have received the Prefect's goodwill. Leave the gift here. You may go."

At this point, unless someone actively provoked his clan, he had no desire to waste cultivation time provoking great wars.

After all, for the Jiang Clan at present.

Resources were temporarily sufficient; what they lacked was only time.

Only with sufficient time could they digest their resource base and fully convert it into strength.

This was the most important matter at present!

At this moment, hearing Jiang Daoxuan's words.

Zhao Hu's expression turned strange.

He recalled the man's many victories—clan-destroying, sect-eradicating, ruthlessly brutal deeds.

Favors peace? Dislikes slaughter? Fears harming heaven's harmony?

He simply could not link these words with the White Robe Sword Marquis described in the reports!

Yet, despite countless inner complaints.

After receiving the man's "assurance."

For him, this mission was at least completed.

Then Zhao Hu took out the space ring holding the gift, bowed deeply, extended both hands, and carefully placed it on the ground.

He slightly raised his head, cast one final glance at the white-robed back, and clasped his hands: "Clan Chief Jiang, farewell."

With that, he did not linger, immediately turned, and walked out of the ancestral hall.

Once he left that suffocating environment and reconnected with the outside blue sky.

Zhao Hu's expression instantly eased.

Being in the same space as that famed White Robe Sword Marquis was an excruciatingly miserable experience!

It felt like a mouse crouching beside a ferocious tiger, as if it could be devoured at any moment.

Meanwhile.

Zhang Cang, standing at the hall's entrance, opened his eyes.

Seeing Zhao Hu's pale face, he felt intense curiosity.

What exactly had happened inside the hall? How could it have terrified Zhao Hu, a Star Wheel True Person, into such a state?

Once a fierce tiger, Zhao Hu now resembled a sick cat.

Noticing Zhang Cang's strange gaze.

Zhao Hu felt his cheeks burn, his expression dark and frightening.

He snorted coldly, swept his sleeve, and angrily departed from Cangwu Mountain.

He didn't want to spend another breath in this godforsaken place!!

Only after Zhao Hu's figure had completely vanished from sight.

Did Zhang Cang lower his head, extend his right hand, and drag the panicked, trembling Xu Gu into the family great hall.

The moment he set foot inside the hall, Zhang Cang experienced the same terrible feeling Zhao Hu had just gone through.

Gazing at that towering, abyssal-sea-like terrifying figure.

Even with his Star Wheel realm cultivation base, Zhang Cang still couldn't help feeling his throat go dry and his legs go weak.

His back, moreover, broke out in a flood of cold sweat that soaked through his robe.

Xu Gu, who only had a ninth-layer Purple Mansion realm cultivation base, was in even worse shape.

He couldn't withstand even a single meeting, scared stiff and collapsing to the ground, completely unable to walk!

All around was silence.

Zhang Cang steadied his mind, and with an incomparably respectful attitude, cupped his hands and said: "Greetings, White-Robed Sword Marquis. I... I am Qingshan Sect Elder Zhang Cang. I have come here under the Sect Master's orders to apologize for Xu Gu's offensive impropriety some time ago......"